After giving up the tying goal with 13 seconds to play in regulation, Pete Stahnke wasn't concerned about how the Park Rapids-Menahga boys hockey team would respond in overtime Friday night at East Grand Forks.
Despite battling fatigue, the Panthers skated even with the Green Wave until Kevin McMorrow scored on a wrap-around with 31 seconds remaining in the extra session to give Park Rapids a thrilling 6-5 victory.
"I didn't have to tell them much. I just told them that we were all right and we'd get it back in overtime," said Stahnke, whose team improved to 6-0 and moved up to the No. 15 spot in the state Class A poll. "This team is so focused and motivated. Physically we had nothing left and I'm sure East Grand Forks felt the same way. We were going on pure guts."
The Panthers seemed to be in control when Zach Lehrke's unassisted goal at the 5:34 mark of the third period provided a 5-3 advantage.
Joey Wikoff's goal on a penalty shot at the 7:25 mark closed the margin before Zak Aubol scored from in front at the 16:47 mark to tie the game and force overtime.
ADVERTISEMENT
Each team had three shots on goal in overtime before McMorrow carried the puck into the EGF zone, skated behind the net and stuffed the puck past goalie Dale Enright for the game-winner.
Both teams traded goals for the first two periods as the Panthers held a 4-3 lead.
Zach Knapp opened the scoring at the 5:21 mark of the first period and gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead with another goal at the 12:23 mark. Colter Hensel and Lehrke assisted on Knapp's first goal.
Lehrke's goal at the 1:45 mark of the second period gave the Panthers a 3-2 edge. Knapp and Tucker Coborn assisted on that goal.
East Grand Forks tied the game at the 12:57 mark, but Knapp set up McMorrow on the ensuing faceoff as Park Rapids carried a 4-3 lead into the final period.
Lehrke's second goal of the game provided a 5-3 edge before the Green Wave rallied.
Enright finished with 27 saves for EGF while Park Rapids goalie Mark Smith saves 31 shots.
The win gave the Pan-thers a 2-0 record against Section 8A teams while EGF fell to 1-2 against section opponents and 4-3 overall.
ADVERTISEMENT
"East Grand Forks is a very good team and this is a huge win for us in the section," said Stahnke. "We knew we could play with anybody in the section. After this win, we don't have to take a back seat to anybody."
The Panthers played at Wadena Tuesday night and travel to Bagley Thursday.
Park Rapids 2 2 1 1 6
EGF 2 1 2 0 5
FIRST PERIOD: 1, Park Rapids, Knapp (Hensel, Lehrke), 5:21. 1, East Grand Forks, Wikoff (Lukkason, Vizenor), 11:09. 2, Park Rapids, Knapp (unassisted), 12:23. 2, East Grand Forks, Grabanski (Useldinger), 15:03.
SECOND PERIOD: 3, Park Rapids, Lehrke (Knapp, Coborn), 1:45. 3, East Grand Forks, Aubol (Wikoff), 12:57. 4, Park Rapids, McMorrow (Knapp), 13:05.
THIRD PERIOD: 5, Park Rapids, Lehrke (unassisted), 5:34. 4, East Grand Forks, Wikoff (unassisted), 7:25. 5, East Grand Forks, Aubol (Lukkason), 16:47.
OVERTIME: 6, Park Rapids, McMorrow (unassisted), 7:29.
ADVERTISEMENT
GOALIE SAVES: Park Rapids (Smith) 7-10-11-3-31. East Grand Forks (Enright) 7-10-7-3-27.
